Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder outlast Spurs to reach brink of NBA Finals | Basketball News
Thunder One Win Away from NBA Finals After Game 5 Victory
Published May 27, 2026
Oklahoma City—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 127-114 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, putting the Thunder just one win away from a return to the NBA Finals.
The Thunder capitalized on a series of errors from the Spurs, taking a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference Finals with two games remaining. The reigning champions struggled to find their rhythm, having tied the series at 2-2 in Game 4.
In a lackluster display at Paycom Center, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama struggled offensively, scoring 20 points while shooting 4-for-15 from the field. He also recorded just six rebounds. Forward Devin Vassell had an off night as well, contributing only six points on 2-of-11 shooting after averaging 17 points in the series’ first four games.
The Thunder will travel to San Antonio for Game 6 on Thursday, aiming to secure their spot in the finals. Despite a slow start, they demonstrated resilience, overcoming an early eight-point deficit to eventually dominate the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander was supported by a strong team performance, with four other players scoring in double figures. Alex Caruso contributed 22 points off the bench, Jared McCain added 20, Chet Holmgren tallied 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Isaiah Hartenstein recorded 12 points and 15 rebounds.
“I might have had the worst start to a basketball game in my career, but the group held it down and kept us in the game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, referring to the Thunder’s sluggish first quarter.
“We made adjustments after the last game and applied what we learned. Against a really good team, you’ve just got to try to be better each and every game, and we definitely got better from the last game,” he added.
After overcoming their initial struggles, the Thunder exploded for 40 points in the second quarter, establishing a lead that would prove crucial. They extended their advantage to as many as 20 points in the third quarter, though San Antonio managed to reduce the deficit to eight late in the period.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson expressed frustration with his team’s errors and highlighted the need for improvement in their upcoming must-win game. He specifically urged Wembanyama to adopt a more aggressive offensive approach.
“It just felt like it was a little bit of everything in terms of that we did not put ourselves in a position to be successful in each possession,” Johnson said. “To beat a team of this caliber in their own building with what’s at stake, you need to be a lot better to give yourself a chance.”
Johnson reiterated that Wembanyama would need to take more shots if the Spurs hope to extend the series. “He’s got to take more than 15 shots, and he’s gonna have to score more than 20 points for sure,” he said.
As the series heads back to San Antonio, both teams will need to make critical adjustments in order to secure victory.
